Mendon-Upton district implements iPad policy switch

Mendon-Upton School District officials said the implementation of a recent change in its iPad policy - brought about because of an ACLU complaint - has been relatively smooth, despite its tardiness.

The School Committee at its meeting on Aug. 25 voted to allow all students to bring home the devices during the school year regardless of whether they had paid a technology fee. Previously, students who had not paid the fee or brought an iPad from home had been restricted to using their iPads on school grounds.

The change was prompted by a complaint from the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, claiming that the district's policy provided unequal education to its students. In its complaint, the group likened the devices to textbooks, which - by law - the district must provide free of charge.

According to Superintendent Joseph Maruszczak, there has been little confusion over the policy, even though it was implemented two days before the start of the school year.

"What we did was send out a mass email to parents, explaining everything from A to Z, and asking if they wanted to change their plan," he said. "That email included a link to a Google form (for doing so)."

Parents have until Sept. 19 to inform the district that they wish to change plans. If they do not, Maruszczak said, the district will assume they wish to continue with their previously selected option.

"As of this morning, we've heard from 225 parents," he said. "Some of those have notified us, though, that they want to keep the status quo."

Maruszczak said about 1,400 students take part in the district's 1:1 iPad initiative.

"I think it's gone very smoothly," he said.

Mike Gleason can be reached at 508-634-7546 or mgleason@wickedlocal.com. For news throughout the day, follow him on Twitter @MGleason_MDN.